The Breakfast Club

SCED 508 Social Justice

Aarin Bell, Tyler Davenport, Olivia Michalak & Megan Roether

Our team: Characteristics:

  The Counseling team

  Core teaching staff (rotating schedule)

  Peer tutors

  Parent or community volunteers

  Leadership

  Patience

  Understanding

  Flexibility

  Resourceful

  Trustworthy

Killing the myth

  A. What is a poverty related problem that you have identified in your school?

Academics (test scores, GPA) - Students of a lower SES are performing poorer on standardized tests and state tests.

  B. What is the underlying myth or attitude that you are hoping to combat?

“We want our school community to believe that all students are receiving the appropriate support to meet their academic needs to close the achievement gap."

Why the Breakfast Club?

  50.8% of Heritage students are on free or reduced lunch

  For every 100 children receiving free and reduced price lunch, 50.4 received free and reduced price breakfast (USDA, 2013).

  In 2012 69% of low income students passed the HESP Reading test compared to 80% of the entire student group

  In that same year 67% of low income students passed the Math EOC test compared to 75% of the entire student group

OSPI- Washington State Report Card, Heritage High School

Offering breakfast free to all students improves the learning environment for all students.

  Schools that offer breakfast free to all students in the classroom report decreases in discipline, psychological problems, visits to school nurses and tardiness; increases in student attentiveness and attendance; and generally improved learning environments.

  Studies conclude that students who eat school breakfast increase their math and reading scores as well as improve their speed and memory in cognitive tests. Research also shows that children who eat breakfast at school – closer to class and test-taking time – perform better on standardized tests than those who skip breakfast or eat breakfast at home.

  Children who eat school breakfast are likely to have fewer absences and incidents of tardiness than those who do not

Food Research and Action Center, 2013

Peer Tutoring & Teacher Support

Building on student’s assets:

  Caring school climate

  Other adult relationships

  Positive peer influence

  Youth programs

  Achievement motivation

  Homework

  Bonding to school

Action plan: Individual

  “The Breakfast Club” Reaching our students in poverty at breakfast

  Cafeteria/meals

  Peer Tutors

  Faculty

  Needs Assessment

  Build on strengths of those in poverty

  Developmental Assets

  Tracking data: GPA, AP courses, graduation rates, attendance & test scores

Action Plan: Community

  Communication survey-- involve parents & guardians

  Letter home to families explaining the program and benefits of eating breakfast

  Inviting members of the community to eat breakfast with students

  “Parent mornings” for college and career planning

  Provide additional resources for needs

  Using grants to increase social services offered

  Pantry

Action Plan: Institutional

  All-staff training workshops

  Publishing data results from “The Breakfast Club”

  Outreach

Student Outcomes & Goals

  Short term

  Student Attendance

  Stability

  Support

  Long term

  Continually run program

  Increased student success via grades and attendance

  Closure of achievement gap via increased equal access to support services

Data to be Collected to Indicate Progress

  Time frame and Duration of Meetings

  Percent Free & Reduced Breakfast statistics          

  How many are attending breakfast?

  Before/After

  Percent Free/Reduced

  Grade changes

  Qualitative & Quantitative student survey data

Questions?